Never Alone

by New Spark

I'm Not a Problem that needs Solving

-------------------------------------Cottoncandy Soldier’s POV-----------------------------------------

“I SWEAR BOY, I WILL DAMN FIRE YOU IF YOU WANT TO PULL SOME BULLSHIT LIKE THIS AGAIN!!!!” The angry old stallion known as CS’s Boss yelled at him. Beside him was another angry stallion, a customer, who looked just about ready to beat him to death.

“LOOK, WHEN I BROUGHT MY PC TO THIS SHOP, I WAS WASN’T EXPECTING THIS FUCKING CHILD TO FORGET TO SAVE MY PRIVATE FILES!!”

Cottoncandy’s eyes welled up in tears, though he blinked them back so no-one would know. The words stung so much, each syllable bringing on a new wave of pain. He wished he could just… disappear.

“DON’T YOU FUCKING DO THAT AGAIN YOU GOOD-FOR NOTHING PIECE OF SHIT, YOU HEAR ME?”

“Ye-yes,” Cottoncandy stammered, his voice shaky. Pain was all he felt. Overwhelming pain.

“I hope you learned.” The stallion’s voice was cold and apathetic, like he didn’t even care about the damage he’d just inflicted.

The customer walked away from the shop, staring daggers at the sweet, hurt child.

CS silently wept. He had so wanted to do his best here. To be accepted, to be loved. But his first month wasn’t even over and he was already in so much trouble. He worked so fucking hard. By Celestia, he put his heart and his soul into what he did and that was the honest truth. He’d spent hour after hour after hour after hour slaving over some broken laptop or PC and But as a newbie adjusting to his new life, how could any mortal pony not make a beginner’s mistake a few times.

--

Cotton had no idea how he got through the day, but now he was home. Now he was home, now he was depressed, and now he was exhausted.

He got lunch ready for himself, his head hanging low.

Whatever I do, wherever I go, I can’t do anything right. Whoever I talk to, they don’t like me. Whatever I do, I fail. Sometimes I think I’ll succeed but I always end up failing. I’m a failure. A problem. I. Am. A. Problem.

Cotton sank down onto his knees on the floor, crying uncontrollably. He could never be happy. He’d never find refuge. He’d never find love. After what seemed like hours of pure, heart-wrenching misery, he got up. His movements dead and unnatural, as if he was a zombie. His soft-feathered wings reached for a knife. He took it and aimed it right at his neck.

Ding-dong. The doorbell rang. But he didn’t hear it. The knife inched closer and closer, about to deliver the fatal wound.

Smash! Something snatched the knife from his wing and crashed into the cupboard.

A second look revealed a soaking wet teen-aged filly with coral fur and a sky blue mane, and a magnifying glass for a cutie mark. Whirlwind.

“Don’t you ever do that again!” she sobbed, reaching over to hug him. He returned the embrace feeling, after a long time, that he was home. Tears of relief ran down both of their cheeks.

----------------------------Whirlwind’s POV, two hours earlier--------------------------------------

“I was almost fired. I can’t do anything right. I belong nowhere. I’m a problem. My life is a problem.” That’s what Cottoncandy’s text had read.

Whirlwind’s heart momentarily stopped. Tears built up in her eyes. Her worst fears were coming true. She forgot how to breath. And then she ran downstairs.

“Mom, I have to go over to a friend’s house. He really, really needs me.” Whirlwind tried to be calm, but failed as she told her mom, a white-coated, loving mare, of what she was doing.

“You stay safe, honey,” the always-understanding mare said.

Whirlwind ran to the bus station and jumped on the first bus to catch the first busto Mane. As she stood on the crowded vehicle, her sweaty wings holding onto the pole, her thoughts raced. What in Tartarus was Cottoncandy doing? Was he alright? Of course he wasn’t, but how not alright was he? Was he alive. Could she save him? Could anyone? By Celestia, why did such a good pony have such a bad life?

The rain pounded on the windows of the bus and a hundred-pound hammer pounded on her heart. She was panicking more than she had ever panicked in her life. Breathing became difficult. Cottoncandy Soldier, PLEASE don’t be beyond saving.

--

As the bus came to a stop, she flew off as fast as she could and pumped her wings towards the direction of Cottoncandy’s apartment, not bothering to put her umbrella on. She dashed up the stairs and pounded on the doorbell. What seemed like an eternity, though it was less than a second, passed and heart heart once again came to a stop. No, she thought, this can’t be. Flying out of the building, she flew up to CS’s flat, and looked for open windows. There of course weren’t any. But she did see Cottoncandy, about to end it all.

And she slammed herself against the kitchen window and snatched the knife from Cottoncandy’s hand.

“Don’t you ever do that again!” She sobbed, hugging her sweet soldier. Blood, tears and rain water mixed as the two ponies sat there, on the wet floor littered with shards of glass, sobbing in each others’ arms.

Author's Note:

I know that it's never gotten this far but please don't ever let it. Please.
Don't give up on life but don't give up on happiness either.

The Title came from an Anna Nalick song.

Comments

[TwiwnB]

A second look revealed a soaking wet teen-aged filly with coral fur and a sky blue mane, and a magnifying glass for a cutie mark. Whirlwind.

I have to admit, I like how you intersect both points of view. At first, I was telling myself "Yeah, sure, how did she happen to be there, all of a sudden", and then I obtained my answer, all very fluidly.

“You stay safe, honey,” the always-understanding mare said.

Can't help but think of Madoka Magica for that mother. Don't know if this is a reference or not.

Now, to be quite honest, I didn't understand at first that he was trying to end it with a knife. And for once, I can't blame my poor knowledge of english.

His soft-feathered wings reached for a knife. He took it and aimed it right at his neck.

This is a bit fast. Maybe I'm at fault there, but just before there was a very long repetitive passage with references to how miserable he was feeling (pretty much just as the first chapter), so I just opted for a passive reading waiting for a signal that things were happening. And I only noticed that something had happened when I read about Whirlwind bursting into the room.

A change of tone, or a change of rythm, or even a repetition of the word "knife" would have helped greatly.